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The latest Biotech News and Views |
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| SNAPSHOT |
| China is the new biopharma licensing Eldorado |
 Photo: Nuno Alberto (Unsplash) |
| Licensing deals between Chinese biotechs and multinational drugmakers surged 11% in Q1 2025 , with China accounting for 32% of global outlicensing deal value. |
| Why it matters: U.S. and global pharma companies are turning to China for affordable, innovative drug assets as they face pricing pressure and looming patent cliffs. |
| Backstory: Just a few years ago, China represented a small share of global licensing deals (only 8% in 2021). But strong government support, a streamlined regulatory path, and credible clinical data have transformed the nation into a key player. |
| Big picture: China is becoming a global hub for drug development. It offers biopharmas lower costs (upfront payments 60–70% lower than global peers) and faster development timelines (12 to 20 months from drug discovery to trial compared to 24 to 26 months globally), making it a strategic alternative amid financial and regulatory headwinds in the West. |
| High throughput: Since 2022, China biotechs have developed 639 first-in-class drug candidates, a 360% jump from 2018–2021. The U.S., Europe and Japan only show a 100% to 150% growth in new first-in-class assets. |
| Who's benefiting: The major dealmakers active in China are Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche, Merck & Co., Pfizer, and Gilead. Their preferred focus areas are the usual suspects: oncology (especially PD-1/VEGF bispecifics and ADCs), autoimmune, cardiovascular and most importantly, metabolism diseases with over 60 weight-loss drug candidates in advanced trials. |
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| SNIPPETS |
| What's happening in biotech today? |
| �� Manufacturing mess: The FDA has rejected Ultragenyx's gene therapy UX111 for Sanfilippo syndrome Type A due to manufacturing concerns. While the agency requested more information about the company's production processes, Ultragenyx stated the issues are not related to product quality and believe they are easily addressable. Despite the setback and a recent disappointing trial update for another drug, analysts view the rejection as a delay rather than a denial, with expectations for eventual approval remaining positive. |
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| �� Sleep win: Takeda's experimental narcolepsy drug, oveporexton, achieved successful outcomes in two phase 3 trials , demonstrating significant improvements in excessive daytime sleepiness and related symptoms in over 270 patients across 19 countries. With no serious treatment-related adverse events reported and strong efficacy across all doses, the results validate oveporexton's orexin receptor 2-targeted mechanism, which mimics the body's natural wakefulness cycle. Takeda plans to file for FDA approval within its current fiscal year, aiming for $2–$3 billion in peak sales. |
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| �� TAM trick: South Korean biotech Illimis Therapeutics has raised $42 million in a Series B funding round to advance its Alzheimer's drug candidate, ILM01, which utilizes the TAM receptor system to clear pathological proteins without inducing harmful inflammation. Unlike traditional antibody-based therapies that can cause neurotoxic side effects like amyloid-related imaging abnormalities, ILM01's fusion proteins activate TAM receptors on microglia and astrocytes to promote efficient amyloid beta clearance while suppressing inflammation. The funding will support ILM01's development toward an investigational new drug application by 2027 and expand the company's pipeline into other immune-related diseases. |
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| �� HIV prep: Merck is advancing its HIV prevention efforts with two new phase 3 trials of MK-8527, a once-monthly oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug, aiming to offer an alternative to Gilead's recently approved, twice-yearly injectable, Yeztugo (lenacapavir). In collaboration with the Gates Foundation, Merck will conduct the two trials across multiple countries, enrolling around 4,400 participants each. MK-8527, which targets HIV's reverse transcriptase enzyme, showed a favorable safety profile in phase 2. As only 18% of global PrEP need is currently met, Merck is positioning MK-8527 to meet demand among those preferring oral options. |
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| ��♂️ M&A rescue: Essa Pharma, facing pressure from activist investors to shut down after disappointing prostate cancer trial results, has agreed to be acquired by nonprofit research group XenoTherapeutics in a deal backed by biotech royalty aggregator Xoma Royalty. |
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| SNAP AGAIN |
| Another post-acquisition win for AstraZeneca |
 Photo: Immo Wegmann (Unsplash) |
| AstraZeneca's baxdrostat significantly lowered blood pressure in a Phase 3 trial for patients with uncontrolled or treatment-resistant hypertension. |
| Why it matters: The drug could offer a novel treatment option for millions whose high blood pressure isn't managed by existing medicines, a field stagnant for decades. |
| Backstory: AstraZeneca acquired baxdrostat through its $1.3B purchase of CinCor Pharma in 2023 . The drug blocks an enzyme linked to aldosterone production, a hormone involved in blood pressure regulation. Phase 2 results were mixed, but showed promise for resistant hypertension. |
| Big picture: If approved, baxdrostat would mark one of the few major innovations in hypertension treatment in over 20 years. It may also bolster AstraZeneca's broader portfolio by pairing with its kidney and diabetes drug Farxiga. |
| Zoom in: The Phase 3 study enrolled 796 patients and showed "clinically meaningful" reductions in systolic blood pressure. Baxdrostat met all secondary endpoints and was "generally well tolerated." |
| What's next: AstraZeneca plans to present more data next month and discuss approvals with regulators. If successful, AstraZeneca will pay around $500M to CinCor shareholders via a 2023 deal clause. The big pharma expects baxdrostat to become a blockbuster drug , with potential applications in chronic kidney disease and heart failure prevention. |
| Two in a row: AstraZeneca has been on a roll lately with post-acquisition trials. Just last week, the company announced positive early trial data for a CAR-T therapy resulting from its $1 billion investment in EsoBiotec. |
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| SPEED READ |
| More news |
| LEO Pharma will globally commercialize and further develop Spevigo , the only approved IL-36-targeting treatment for generalized pustular psoriasis, under a licensing deal with Boehringer Ingelheim. |
| BD will spin off its biosciences and diagnostics units into a $17.5 billion merger with Waters Corporation , creating a lab tools giant projected to generate $6.5 billion in 2025 revenue. |
| Crinetics Pharmaceuticals released new supportive data from extension studies showing its oral acromegaly drug Palsonify is well tolerated ahead of an upcoming FDA approval decision. |
| Pierre Fabre's BRAFTOVI plus cetuximab gained approval in China for BRAFV600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, following trials showing up to 45% reduced mortality and progression. |
| CARsgen Therapeutics secured a definitive European patent for its GPC3-targeted CAR-T therapy after a US rival withdrew its appeal, solidifying protection across multiple solid tumors. |
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| TOUR OPERATOR |
| Upcoming events |
| ���� Paris, 21-23 August 2025 – 11th International Conference on Bioengineering and Biosciences |
| ���� Boston, 27-29 August 2025 – 5th Oligonucleotides for CNS Summit |
| ���� Barcelona, 2-4 September 2025 – Advanced Therapies Europe 2025 |
| ���� Parsippany, 2-5 September 2025 – ChemOutsourcing 2025 |
| ���� Bangkok, 3-5 September 2025 – Bio Asia Pacific |
| ���� Hong Kong, 10-13 September 2025 – BioHK |
| ���� Paris, 15-17 September 2025 – Molecular Analysis for Precision Oncology Congress |
| ���� Boston, 15-18 September 2025 – Biotech Week Boston |
| ���� Dubai, 23-25 September 2025 – ArabLab |
| ���� Basel, 30 September-2 October 2025 – Festival of Biologics |
| ���� Rome, 23-24 March 2026 – Global Longevity Federation 2026 |
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| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical or AZoNetwork. |
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